WGU D450 HESI Community Health
Exam 2026-2027 ALL 250+ QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
VERIFIED RATIONALES
1. A community health nurse wants to measure how many new cases of type 2
diabetes occurred in a town over the past year. Which measure should be
used?
A. Prevalence rate
B. Incidence rate
C. Mortality rate
D. Case-fatality rate
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Incidence measures new cases in a population during a specific
time period, which is useful for studying risk and trends in new disease
development.
2. The nurse is calculating how many people currently have asthma in a city at
one point in time. What is this called?
A. Incidence
B. Point prevalence
C. Attack rate
D. Relative risk
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Point prevalence reflects the proportion of a population with a
condition at a specific point in time, capturing the existing burden of disease.
3. In a population of 10,000 people, 100 new cases of influenza are reported in
January. What is the incidence rate per 1,000 people?
A. 0.1 per 1,000
B. 1 per 1,000
C. 10 per 1,000
D. 100 per 1,000
Correct answer:>C
, Rationale:>Incidence rate = (number of new cases ÷ population) ×
multiplier; here (100 ÷ 10,000) × 1,000 = 10 per 1,000.
4. Which best describes the host in the epidemiologic triangle?
A. The organism causing disease
B. The person or group who can get the disease
C. Environmental factors like climate
D. The mode of transmission
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>The host is the person or population at risk, whose
characteristics (age, immunity, behavior) influence susceptibility to disease.
5. The agent in the epidemiologic triangle for COVID-19 is:
A. A person with fever
B. The SARS-CoV-2 virus
C. Crowded housing
D. Mask use
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>The agent is the specific pathogen or factor that must be present
(or lacking) for disease to occur; for COVID-19, it is the SARS-CoV-2
virus.
6. A nurse promotes handwashing in schools to prevent the spread of
respiratory infections. This is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Quaternary
Correct answer:>A
Rationale:>Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs,
such as through health promotion and specific protection like hygiene and
immunization.
7. Screening blood pressure at a community fair to find undiagnosed
hypertension is which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
, Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt
treatment to halt or slow disease progression, as with screening.
8. A nurse leads a cardiac rehabilitation program for clients after a myocardial
infarction. What level of prevention is this?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Primary and secondary
Correct answer:>C
Rationale:>Tertiary prevention aims to reduce complications and restore
function after disease has occurred, for example through rehab.
9. During a windshield survey, a nurse drives through the community
observing housing, transportation, and businesses. What is the main purpose
of this activity?
A. Collect lab samples
B. Identify patterns and conditions in the community environment
C. Evaluate hospital staffing
D. Test new medications
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>A windshield survey is a systematic observation tool to gather
data about the community’s physical and social environment.
10.Which data source is most useful to describe age distribution, income, and
education levels in a community?
A. Hospital incident reports
B. Census data
C. Individual patient charts
D. School lunch menus
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Census data provide demographic information such as age,
income, education, and household composition, useful for community
assessments.
11.A community assessment reveals high rates of uncontrolled diabetes and
limited access to fresh foods. Which term best describes this situation?
A. Food desert
, B. Herd immunity
C. Vector-borne disease
D. Primary attack
Correct answer:>A
Rationale:>A food desert is an area with limited access to affordable,
healthy foods, often associated with higher rates of diet-related chronic
diseases.
12.In planning a community health program, the nurse uses epidemiologic data
to identify the priority problem. Which factor should be considered first?
A. The nurse’s personal interest
B. The problem with the greatest impact on morbidity and mortality
C. The problem easiest to solve
D. The smallest problem reported
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Priority setting often focuses on problems that have the greatest
impact on illness, death, and quality of life in the community.
13.A nurse reviews local surveillance data and finds an increase in pertussis
cases among preschool children. This type of information is part of which
function of public health?
A. Assurance
B. Policy development
C. Assessment
D. Enforcement
Correct answer:>C
Rationale:>Assessment includes systematic collection and analysis of health
data to identify emerging issues, such as rising communicable disease rates.
14.Which example best illustrates primary prevention at the community level?
A. Mammogram clinics
B. Teaching about seat belt use and car seat safety
C. Physical therapy after stroke
D. Home visits for medication adjustment after a heart attack
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Teaching injury prevention (e.g., seat belts, car seats) is primary
prevention because it aims to prevent injury before it occurs.
Exam 2026-2027 ALL 250+ QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
VERIFIED RATIONALES
1. A community health nurse wants to measure how many new cases of type 2
diabetes occurred in a town over the past year. Which measure should be
used?
A. Prevalence rate
B. Incidence rate
C. Mortality rate
D. Case-fatality rate
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Incidence measures new cases in a population during a specific
time period, which is useful for studying risk and trends in new disease
development.
2. The nurse is calculating how many people currently have asthma in a city at
one point in time. What is this called?
A. Incidence
B. Point prevalence
C. Attack rate
D. Relative risk
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Point prevalence reflects the proportion of a population with a
condition at a specific point in time, capturing the existing burden of disease.
3. In a population of 10,000 people, 100 new cases of influenza are reported in
January. What is the incidence rate per 1,000 people?
A. 0.1 per 1,000
B. 1 per 1,000
C. 10 per 1,000
D. 100 per 1,000
Correct answer:>C
, Rationale:>Incidence rate = (number of new cases ÷ population) ×
multiplier; here (100 ÷ 10,000) × 1,000 = 10 per 1,000.
4. Which best describes the host in the epidemiologic triangle?
A. The organism causing disease
B. The person or group who can get the disease
C. Environmental factors like climate
D. The mode of transmission
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>The host is the person or population at risk, whose
characteristics (age, immunity, behavior) influence susceptibility to disease.
5. The agent in the epidemiologic triangle for COVID-19 is:
A. A person with fever
B. The SARS-CoV-2 virus
C. Crowded housing
D. Mask use
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>The agent is the specific pathogen or factor that must be present
(or lacking) for disease to occur; for COVID-19, it is the SARS-CoV-2
virus.
6. A nurse promotes handwashing in schools to prevent the spread of
respiratory infections. This is an example of which level of prevention?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Quaternary
Correct answer:>A
Rationale:>Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs,
such as through health promotion and specific protection like hygiene and
immunization.
7. Screening blood pressure at a community fair to find undiagnosed
hypertension is which level of prevention?
A. Primary prevention
B. Secondary prevention
C. Tertiary prevention
D. Quaternary prevention
, Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt
treatment to halt or slow disease progression, as with screening.
8. A nurse leads a cardiac rehabilitation program for clients after a myocardial
infarction. What level of prevention is this?
A. Primary
B. Secondary
C. Tertiary
D. Primary and secondary
Correct answer:>C
Rationale:>Tertiary prevention aims to reduce complications and restore
function after disease has occurred, for example through rehab.
9. During a windshield survey, a nurse drives through the community
observing housing, transportation, and businesses. What is the main purpose
of this activity?
A. Collect lab samples
B. Identify patterns and conditions in the community environment
C. Evaluate hospital staffing
D. Test new medications
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>A windshield survey is a systematic observation tool to gather
data about the community’s physical and social environment.
10.Which data source is most useful to describe age distribution, income, and
education levels in a community?
A. Hospital incident reports
B. Census data
C. Individual patient charts
D. School lunch menus
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Census data provide demographic information such as age,
income, education, and household composition, useful for community
assessments.
11.A community assessment reveals high rates of uncontrolled diabetes and
limited access to fresh foods. Which term best describes this situation?
A. Food desert
, B. Herd immunity
C. Vector-borne disease
D. Primary attack
Correct answer:>A
Rationale:>A food desert is an area with limited access to affordable,
healthy foods, often associated with higher rates of diet-related chronic
diseases.
12.In planning a community health program, the nurse uses epidemiologic data
to identify the priority problem. Which factor should be considered first?
A. The nurse’s personal interest
B. The problem with the greatest impact on morbidity and mortality
C. The problem easiest to solve
D. The smallest problem reported
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Priority setting often focuses on problems that have the greatest
impact on illness, death, and quality of life in the community.
13.A nurse reviews local surveillance data and finds an increase in pertussis
cases among preschool children. This type of information is part of which
function of public health?
A. Assurance
B. Policy development
C. Assessment
D. Enforcement
Correct answer:>C
Rationale:>Assessment includes systematic collection and analysis of health
data to identify emerging issues, such as rising communicable disease rates.
14.Which example best illustrates primary prevention at the community level?
A. Mammogram clinics
B. Teaching about seat belt use and car seat safety
C. Physical therapy after stroke
D. Home visits for medication adjustment after a heart attack
Correct answer:>B
Rationale:>Teaching injury prevention (e.g., seat belts, car seats) is primary
prevention because it aims to prevent injury before it occurs.
